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Ever want to be Pac-Man? Well you can do it here at Intoman Games.Creators Ann and Flemming Congrejo describe this game as a wonderful experiment to "move the boundaries in SL a bit"! Come play this game soon! Thanks Ann and Flemming for the warm welcome and introduction to such a fun game! Thanks Onder Skall for telling me about this great place, and for writing such a great write up about how to play!

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Garden of Da Vinci--A beautiful, romantic sim. The owner's profile says it all, "Enjoy Second Life in this most romantic and elegant castle and garden. It's free.Roman, Greek and Renaissance elements make for the special style of this architectural jewel. Couples dances, dungeon, medieval tower, shop for the prefabs."I'm sending you to the place where guided tours begin! Thanks Sloan Skjellerup for showing me this great LM. Don't forget if you have a great idea for LM of the day to drop me a notecard in-world or email me!

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Enter the beautiful world of Cetus Gallery District!Here you will find an abundance of contemporary and modern fine art galleries along side loft residences. There are over 30 artists displaying their work here. The over all feel of the place is RL meets SL in Chelsea, NYC! Lovely builds, textures and of course the artists' works! Enjoy and happy TPing!!

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Thanks Jurin Juran for reminding us that Rezzable Dinosaurs will be taken down this week...If you've not been to see these fossilized wonders, then take your chance now to check them out!

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Games, Games and More Games!!Thanks Sloan Skjellerup for showing me this fun place! What a great place to come play with lots of different games. Checkers, Simon,Memory (aka concentration), Mancala, Chess, Suduko, and more! You can play here, or just go here to buy for your own area! Bring your friends along to play!

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Prim Hearts

From the moment you walk in and hear “Cold drinks here, cold drinks!”, “Alright folks! Step in and win!”, and “Step right up ladies and gentlemen” you feel as if you are really in an amusement park! Even the log ride/roller coaster clanks and clatters as it rises up to give you the thrill ride of a slifetime. While looking for the roller coaster I found an underwater round trip boat ride. There were many amusement park attractions here, not just for enjoying but also if you want to buy them for your place of amusement! Have a fun day everyone!

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La Citta Dormiente

Things to Do member, Krissy Sinclair writes: "This is a wondrous place that I stumbled across. It is the sleeping civility. When you TP in,you will be in the main building. Look around, be free. Then go outside and explore. But at some point fly straight up from the main building.You will find an amazing build. It is a living sculpture, not hindered by the ground. It speaks of love and life. Be sure to look deep in the center for the tree of life." Thanks Krissy!

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I’ve recently been introduced to the beautiful islands sims of Costa Rica! These15 sims offer its visitors opportunities to experience nature,wildlife, residential living, entertainment, shopping and more! You can go hiking to the top of an active volcano; scuba in one of the most beautiful underwater areas; take a hovercraft and go whale watching;visit the hummingbird sanctuary; and many more exotic adventures.Giancarlo Takas, a real life Costa Rican and creator and owner of the sims, outlines the beautiful features of his homeland in SL in the following note card. Please remember that there are homes on these sims that are privately owned. At the request of the sim owner, please do not enter these homes without an invitation from the owner.

PICTURES

-----Pasted Note card------

Welcome to Costa Rica. Within this note card you will find some LANDMARKS for the main attractions throughout our 9 sim estate. For more information please visit

THIS IS WHAT COSTA RICA HAS TO OFFER FOR ITS RESIDENTS AND FRIENDS THROUGHOUT THE SIMS...

1. The best water rafting river in SL.
2. The Most Active volcano in SL.
3. One of the most beautiful scuba areas in SL.
4. The only wh Project Tenkale watch tour in SL.
5. Water activities such as, surf, wind surf, jet skiing and kite skiing.
6. A beautiful forest where you can relax around sweet sounds of nature..
7. One of the most romantic yachts in SL where you can dance the night away under the stars.
8. TangoMar, our cool beach shack where you can party all day long with friends. It is also the perfect place to find the latest in beach wear.
9. The adrenaline high hang glider tour.
10. A posh mall where you can find brand names like Aitui, Truth, Vindi, Uk Couture, Mad Shapes, Tango New York, Jeepers Creepers, Guillaume Pour Homme, Wrong, The Young Urban and even a RL Costa Rican Travel Agency.
11. An Elegant Club House available for residents and friends with many wonderful spaces including a fine dining restaurant, a comfortable cocktail lounge, a movie theater/video room and a cafe where you can view the beautiful Arenal Volcano. The spacious ballroom is also ideal for wedding receptions and large parties .
12. Beautiful surroundings ideal for horseback riding.
13. A secluded clothing optional beach.
14. A multi cultured community with people from 17 different countries.
15. Amazing flora and fauna.
16. Open deep waters for you to sail.
17. The home of the Miss SL Universe Pageant. Babyhoney Bailey

Alajuela, Costa Rica. THE ARENAL VOLCANO. The Arenal Volcano is Costa Rica's most active volcano. A popular place for both national and international travelers. Part of Costa Rica's national parks system it contain an amazing variety of flora and fauna and some of the most spectacular eruptions in the world. Alajuela, Costa Rica. THE CLUB HOUSE Reflecting the Spanish colonial architectural heritage is our club house. There are many wonderful spaces for residents and friends to gather including a fine dining restaurant, a comfortable cocktail lounge and a movie theater/video room and a cafe where you can view the beautiful Arenal Volcano. The spacious ballroom is also ideal for wedding receptions and large parties. Laguna del Arenal. THE SHOPPING DISTRICT In the center of green hills and cultivated fields lays the Arenal Lagoon perfect spot to water ski, fish hike or boat. To the east towers the massive Arenal Volcano, which has been active since 1968.Appoximately 2-3 million years ago there was no lagoon. However a tectonic movement depressed part of the terrain, forming a trench.brand names like, MAD SHAPES featuring the new Latino collection,TANGO NEW YORK, JEEPERS CREEPERS, AITUI, TRUTH, GUILLAUME POUR HOMME,THE YOUNG URBAN and a RL travel agency CREST CUSTOM TRAVEL make their home at this beautiful place. Alajuela, Costa Rica. HORSEBACK RIDING Horseback riding have been a favorite among tourist to see the beauties of Costa Rica. It s very normal to see couples riding their horses along the beach or around the volcano and stopping to watch the amazing sunsets our Pacific cost offer. Click the vendor where it says FREE DEMO, then type JASPER in your inventory to find your horse. Please remember that this is a FREE DEMO and only works once, so do not get off the horse till you're done riding. Guanacaste, Costa Rica. HANG GLIDING Hang gliding is an air sport that a pilot flies an unpowered and lightfoot-launchable glider aircraft known as a hang glider. Most modern hang gliders are made of an aluminum -or composite- framed fabric wing which lacks moving control surfaces. Becoming more and more popular among extreme sports lovers, the hang gliding experience let people enjoy the beauties of Costa Rica from a bird's point of view Guanacaste, Costa Rica. RIO CELESTE Costa Rica's Jewel of the North. Rio Celeste is a river in the canton of Guatuso that is dyed light blue by a chemical reaction of minerals from the Tenorio Volcano. Guanacaste, Costa Rica. RAFTING Costa Rica's mountainous topography and copious rainfall are together responsible for one of the best white water river selections in the world. Guanacaste, Costa Rica. SURFING AND TURTLE BEACH Because of Costa Rica’s perfect surfing conditions, it has turned out to be one of the hottest places to visit and it is ideal for both the beginner and professional surfer. The warm water, beautiful beaches,sunny skies, spectacular nature, easy going locals, friendly sharks!...but especially the great variety of waves makes Costa Rica just perfect. Costa Rica also has an unusual strategic position that within just a few hours you can surf at sunrise at the Caribbean coast,and later in the day, watch the sunset over on the pacific side,catching a different set of waves! Playa grande is located inside the Las Baulas (leather back) National park. This area seeks to protect a major nesting site of the leatherback sea turtles. Leatherbacks are the world's largest reptile, growing to over 2 meter in length and weighing more than 600 pounds. The gentle giants are on the edge of extinction. Puntarenas, Costa Rica. Manuel Antonio National Park. SCUBA Manuel Antonio national park is probably the most beloved National Park in Costa Rica .This beautiful area is so popular because of its amazing white sand beaches backed by an evergreen forest that grows right up to the high tide line. The principal habitants are primary forest,secondary forest, mangrove swamps, lagoons and beach vegetation. There is quite a varied fauna with 109 species of mammals and 184 of birds Lovers of the submarine world are inspired by the exuberant beauty that can be found in the depths of our coastal waters. In the waters of the Pacific, due to the great concentration of nutrients, it is impressive to see the amount of marine life to be found there. Puntarenas, Costa Rica. WHALE WATCHING TOUR. Costa Rica has the longest season of humpback whales, in the world. It’s because Costa Rica has Whale Migrations, from both North and South America. This oceanic event, happens nowhere else on the planet. The Humpback Whales migrate from 2 different hemispheres, to the same place, to have their babies and mate. Over 25 different species of dolphins and whales either migrate through or make Costa Rica their home. Puntarenas, Costa Rica. HUMMINGBIRD GARDEN.Costa Rica has set aside the largest percentage of its total surface area for protected lands of any other country on earth 26.5%. Approximately850 species of birds have been identified here more than are found in the United States and Canada combined and about 18 percent of the world's butterfly species. This is a perfect spot for those looking for peaceful times. Pacifico Central, Costa Rica. ROMANCE Sitting on the calm waters of our pacific coast is our beautiful yacht.The premier romantic spot of our estate. Here you will experience magnificent sunsets. Dance the night away or cuddle with your loved one while waiting for the sunrise. Whales and dolphins will witness that special bond between the two of you... Pacifico Central, Costa Rica. CLOTHING OPTIONAL BEACH Playita is a cozy, secluded clothing optional beach with fantastic ocean views. It is a wonderful opportunity to be completely one with nature. It is surrounded by a jungle and crystal clear waters. Heredia, Costa Rica. PRIVATE RESERVE Some of Costa Rica's most beautiful natural areas are privately owned and yet open to the public. This shows the commitment and passion the residents feel when it comes to preserve this beautiful land and share it with others. Here at our estate at the Heredia sim we have the"Voyager Private Reserve". A nature's paradise where you can find all kinds of beautiful creatures. From birds to reptiles to mammals to insects and gorgeous flora. This is the perfect place for nature lovers who want to be enchanted my mother nature. Laguna del Arenal, Costa Rica. CREST CUSTOM TRAVEL If you are thinking about coming to Costa Rica, or would like more information about our country, please visit our web page at http://www.crestcustomtravel.com and let us show you why Costa Rica is one of the most beautiful places in the world .

FINAL NOTES.

We would like to thank you for your time here in Costa Rica. We have created this project with a lot of love, not only we want to share the beauty of Costa Rica with others, but we want to make this a place where residents and visitors understand the importance of living in balance with nature. This planet gave us the opportunity to evolve as a thinking species and with evolution comes responsibilities. The biggest one is taking care of all the other living forms and of the planet that gave us this incredible opportunity in the first place, because in the end, we all depend on each other.

Thank you,

Giancarlo Takacs

----END PASTED NOTE-----

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PARSEC!!I have been waiting for a little while to write this one up. Creators Dizzy Banjo, Eshi Otawara and Chase Marellan have perfected art, sound and scripting into an experience you'll not want to miss! This space allows you to interact with voice in a way not yet done in Second Life.You will enter a platform to read the instructions, and gather the proper materials and gestures before entering the actual PARSEC space.***READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS*** I can't stress this enough. You will not“get” the whole idea of Parsec if you just TP and visit...it's fully interactive and requires you to use voice. Another thing: to fully take part in Parsec, you will need to bring along 6 friends who also use voice, or just show up there and wait for 6 strangers you will go through it with. There can be more people there than 7 at a time, but it’s best as a group of 7! This makes this a very difficult landmark of the day to drop down to you all…seeing that there are about 1000 active members! I strongly encourage you to visit the follow pages about Parsec: http://nwn.blogs.com/nwn/2008/01/speaking-in-lig.html http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2TjmHZn-e4&eurl

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A while back The Abyss was featured as Landmark of the Day...they have had a complete overhaul of their experience since then, and I think it would be a great treat for you to visit! I am attaching the note card that describes the attraction! Enjoy!---------Posted Note card-----This is the Welcome Center of the Abyss, where your self-guided tour begins.On the back wall to the left is a map of the surface area. To the left of that is a public bulletin board where you are welcome to add any photos or messages you wish (just touch the board for the operating menu).The magazines on the desk in the middle of the Welcome Center are web page links. Touching them with open your browser and the website they represent.Points of Interest:* The Boardwalk Take the boardwalk out the left or western side of the building for a walking tour of the surface area. Here you will see a few models of historical submarines along with other exhibits. The boardwalk ends at a small park where you're welcome to relax and enjoy the view.* The Shallows and Sculpture Garden Take the brick walkway out the left side of the building and into the water. These are the friendly sunlit waters where you will see a variety of sea creatures. The cave entrance takes you into the sculpture garden.* Observation Deck/Art Gallery Located above the Abyss tunnel. A nice place to view the area and a small collection of artwork.* Underwater Observation Pods Take the walkway out the right or eastern side of the building. This leads you to the Abyss tunnel and also the observation deck/art gallery. The tunnel takes you into the first of a series of underwater observation pods. The pods are located at five different depths, from just beneath the waves to the deepest part of the ocean, and are connected by teleport pads. The observation pod at the Abyssal level features a hydrothermal vent exhibit.* Imagination Garden This is an area of the sea floor where you will find a variety of fantasy creatures of the deep. This can be reached from the observation pod at the Abyssal level. Its a short walk from the vent exhibit.Enjoy your visit and if you have any questions please contact us. Rezago Kokorin & Sunn Thunders(co-creators of the Abyss)

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Harlem, NY and Montmartre in Paris in their heyday! These two neighboring islands tour you around the various highlights of each destination as it was in the 1920s. See the Savoy, the Apollo and Cotton Club like it was back in the day. The trolley ride gives information as you drive by the sights! Don't forget to fly over to Montmartre to see Paris in the height of the Jazz Era!

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I got an email from Tokyo today! The sender wrote about an "experimental demonstration and research for the possibility of the architecture and environmental design in Metaverse. In "Archidemo",( SLurl) the field crossing collaboration was achieved."Even though I couldn't read all the information at the location, I was memorized by the structures, images, and movement!

Pictures

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When I met owner and curator, Haydn Shaughnessy, of the Ten Cubed Virtual Art Gallery ( SLurl),I asked him for some information about the technical art that is displayed there. He sent me a very informative email and the press release explaining the work. His long term goals for the space include expansion for larger events while continuing to bring art to SL residents that might not have access to this medium. The space is quite unique in its design and allows the viewer to see the art from many perspectives! Enjoy.I have included a few excerpts here from my communication with Haydn:“I write for the write for the Irish Times and was motivated to set up Ten Cubed because the artists I love don't get much exposure. These are guys who use technology to beautiful and startling effect.Chris Ashely -blogging an image a day and arranging them in chronologies, Scott Kildall, performing his works in SL, Nat Stern using a desktop scanner with a battery pack to wander into real environments and use the scanner light to capture imagery (you'll see his work in one of the side rooms)”From the Press Release:The inaugural exhibition of the spectacularly designed art gallery is entitled 'Crossing the Void II' and is themed around artists such as Chris Ashley, Scott Kildall and Nathaniel Stern, all innovative artists who use new technology to create powerful, compelling and collectible new imagery."We wanted to launch the gallery with artists who build their practice around Internet technologies," said Shaughnessy. "Chris, Scott and Nathaniel are exceptionally gifted but it is hard for collectors to find work like this. Now they can view it without having to travel."The virtual art gallery allows Ten Cubed to display work that would be impossible for any but the best-funded galleries to show. It is designed by a highly talented architect to accommodate large works of art, as well as multiple works – one of the exhibiting artists has apiece that has 365 components – and, to let the visitor take different perspectives on those works. Pictures

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Today's Landmark of the Day is Geek Squad Island PICTURES Built around a pair of volcanoes joined by a glass tube transit system, it is a place that SL residents can “explore Geek Squad mythos, interact one-on-one with real life Geek Squad Agents in avatar form and test out a virtual representation of real world support services.”Some of the features you’ll find here:• Treasure Hunt with 15 coins to find around the island• Weekly meeting to talk about computer topics that are on people's minds• Computer Educational events every Friday also• A little island for watching jet skiing • Skydiving ( SLURL)• Bumper cars • Coral Reef ( SLURL)• A technology museum highlighting Geek Squad and computer history• A house of the future where you wear a hud and walk by items and it will tell you what feature you’re looking at in the house!A special thank you to VAJohn GeekSquad for my tour of the features of this special place!

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Nissan has entered Second Life to promote their Sentra and Altima. Today's LM of the day has many fun features to explore. You can race your Nissan Altima in a sky track (there's even a high score board), or wander around picking up cute things to fill your already full inventory!While there, open the map and see the road track leading you into the Nissan Sentra build. Have fun, and remember: cars can't fly in RL,...yet! Pictures http://slurl.com/secondlife/Nissan%20Altima/122/181/28

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I have not attended this performance yet, and it is not a landmark of the day because you cannot just "go" there. You do need to acquire tickets to this truly remarkable event: DanCoyote Antonelli 's ZeroG SkyDancers Third Production, "Second Spring". What I saw on YouTube was truly amazing, a mix between Cirque de Soliel and fairies in a dream.All avatars involved are dancing without gestures, animations or scripts. DanCoyote directs these performers as if it were a symphony being conducted. The music was scored and is performed by ZeroOne Pax.As I'm told, a story plays out, and the set even becomes part of the story. For more information or tickets to this event, IM DanCoyote Antonelli in world and he will give you the details for the remaining shows.=========Press Release=========For Immediate Release New Media Consortium Presents ZeroG SkyDancers III - Virtual Flight Choreography Pioneering Performing Arts Soar in the Metaverse - Again - Under the Direction of DanCoyote Antonelli January 1, 2008, (Second Life) -Avatar DanCoyote Antonelli is accustomed to breaking new ground. Even in virtual worlds he is considered avant garde. The real man controlling that avatar, DC Spensley, has been wowing virtual audiences since 2006 with art installations that would not be possible in real life, but perhaps the most coveted ticket in all of Second Life is one to a performance by his ZeroG SkyDancers. On January 6, 2008, the premiere of the highly anticipated, third, completely redesigned production of ZeroG SkyDancers will debut.Second Life's history making, critically acclaimed world performance group, the ZeroG SkyDancers is a new form of ensemble performance that uses the airspace of this virtual world, resulting in a cross between water ballet and aerial acrobatics, in ways that would not be possible in the physical world. Wearing spectacular, flowing costumes called cascades - that are many times larger than their avatars - the SkyDancers move through space, and become part of the stage themselves.Altering and evolving, their flight triggers audio samples, which provide a unique layer to the original musical score commissioned for the production. The production, sponsored by the New Media Consortium(NMC), will introduce an all-new reactive-interactive stage set that is repeatedly and dramatically transformed over the hour long performance.The ZeroG SkyDancers III will formally debut at 9PM Pacific Standard Time (and 1PM for the European audience), Sunday, January 6, 2008 in the virtual world of Second Life. Seating is limited, but the show will run every week during the first 90 days of 2008, to accommodate the most guests possible. Tickets will cost $10 US ($3000 Lindens) a piece.For ticket information, please contact Spensley directly atdc@spensley.com. Those with tickets will need to complete a 5 minute registration process with Second Life, http://www.secondlife.com , in order to access the ZeroG SkyDancers III performance. A basic account is absolutely free, includes unlimited access to Second Life's tools,events and communities. Spensley recommends that audience members spend a minimum of 15 minutes learning the basic skills of the Second Life world prior to attending the performance. "Familiarizing yourself with basic navigation of Second Life will add even more enjoyment to the show," said Spensley. Video of a ZeroG SkyDancers II performance is available at YouTube and has received more than 10 thousand hits. "It's difficult to convey the dramatic and immersive effects of the Second Life virtual world in a 2-D web environment, however the video does convey the overall concept of the performance," said Spensley.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_gT0YDAkec .About DanCoyote Antonelli Hyperformalist artist first invited to exhibit in Second Life by ArsVirtua curator Rubaiyat Shatner. Continued residency in Second Life is supported in part by private collectors and the spontaneous patronage of modern day Medicis Giulio Perhaps, Kitty Tully and many other generous patrons of the arts in Real Life and Second Life. About the New Media Consortium (NMC)The NMC is an international consortium of more than 250 world-class universities, colleges, museums, research centers, and technology companies - and the largest educational body in Second Life - dedicated to using new technologies to inspire, energize, stimulate, and support learning and creative expression.About Second Life and Linden Lab Second Life is a 3D online world with a rapidly growing population from100 countries around the globe, in which the Residents themselves create and build the world, which includes homes, vehicles, nightclubs,stores, landscapes, clothing and games. The Second Life Grid is a sophisticated development platform created by Linden Lab, a company founded in 1999 by Philip Rosedale, to create a revolutionary new form of shared 3D experience. The former CTO of RealNetworks, Rosedale pioneered the development of many of today's streaming media technologies, including RealVideo. In April 2003, noted software pioneer Mitch Kapor, founder of Lotus Development Corporation, was named Chairman. In 2006, Philip Rosedale and Linden Lab received WIRED's Rave Award for Innovation in Business. Based in San Francisco,Linden Lab employs a senior team bringing together deep expertise in physics, 3D graphics and networking. Registration and an account are necessary to access Second Life, but require very little time and effort. A basic account is absolutely free, and includes unlimited access to Second Life's tools, events and communities. It is recommended that a minimum of 15 minutes be allocated to learn basic skills prior to attending the performance. Additional preparation would only enhance the experience. System Requirements Your computer must meet specific requirements, or you may not be able to successfully participate in Second Life. Learn more about those requirements here: http://secondlife.com/corporate/sysreqs.phpContact for tickets or more information DC Spensley Producer/Director 415-668-6238 dc@spensley.com

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Visit Virtual Bruges-a reconstruction of the famous center of a Bruges, Belgium. Wander around the beautiful lanes and buildings, making sure to see The Provincial court--a near exact recreation of the neo-gothic style building from RL. For more information see http://www.virtual-bruges.be/virtual-bruges/en/aboutbruges.phpA picturesque place for sure, get your cameras ready! Pictures of Bruges in Second Life

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Privateer Space is an amazing build by Aley Arai. In her words it's a "huge, super,(immersion), silly sci-fi play land for everyone, a non-commercial venture." Thanks Sloan Skjellerup for suggesting this one! Be sure to visit all the hidden charms on this MULTI LAYERED sim! OK, ok, I'll shut up now and let you explore it!! http://slurl.com/secondlife/Privateer%20Space/141/127/639A super huge narrative exploration of this sim can be seen here. Pictures from Araucano Janus!

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Bellagio http://slurl.com/secondlife/Isle%20of%20Dreams/89/131/22 Pictures More Pictures A full scale reproduction of the Bellagio in Las Vegas. The Bellagio was built by the team at Built Right By Trottier. Complete with a lounge ,club, ballroom as well as very large mall. It is very luxurious and elegant. There are even gardens with beautiful views of the fountains and glorious exterior of the hotel. A maze garden to wander around will allow even the non shopper a place to enjoy! The fountains run every 15 minutes and are just beautiful to watch!

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(more pictures) My good friend, Dizzy Banjo, has been working furiously lately. I kept asking him, "When are you going to be able to disclose any of your projects to the public?!" My wait is over, it's finally time (for one of them at least) to be opened to the general public! The Best of Second Life and Things to Do have been invited to preview the opening of DynaFleur--Douglas Story's new art installation at Princeton South all based on his closeup floral photography. The official opening is Saturday with a reception and dancing to follow beginning at noon PST. Please read the following press release for more information:DynaFleur – An Immersive Art Installation--------by--------Douglas Story & Desdemona Enfield-------with-------Dizzy Banjo - music and soundPoid Mahovlich – terraforming Spanning an entire sim on Princeton University’s virtual campus,DynaFleur is the kind of experience that truly is possible only in Second Life.Opening to the public on Saturday, January 5th, DynaFleur presents the almost abstract close-up floral photography of Douglas Story in a very unusual way. The monumental and colorful installation is cradled by a specially commissioned landscape created by Poid Mahovlich. As you walk(and fall) through it, you are immersed in the densely layered sound design of Dizzy Banjo which is tailored to accompany the movements of the elements of the piece that surround you, all of them moving and changing in response to your presence. This magic is powered by complex scripts written by the talented and energetic Desdemona Enfield, which in turn were based on the open-source Reflexive Architecture scripts made available by Keystone Bouchard and his group.One early visitor said, in response to one of the three main sections of the sprawling piece, “I don’t know whether I’m in awe or creeped out.” The makers of DynaFleur were oddly pleased by this statement.Experiencing DynaFleur is one of those Second Life 'wow' moments that is not to be missed. The opening reception with the artists is scheduled for Saturday, January 5th at 12 noon SLT, followed by ballroom dancing from 2 to 4 pm SLT with music and dj services provided by the proprietor of the Blue Note jazz club, Naydee McGettigan.The sim will be closed to the general public until the 5th, but members of the press who wish a preview are invited to contact Douglas Story in-world or via email at Douglas.story@gmail.com.The artists would like to express special thanks to Princeton University and most especially to Princeton’s in-world representative Persis Trilling. FlowerBall, a previous collaboration by Douglas, Desdemona and AldoManutio Abruzzo was named as one of the ‘Ten Best Art Installations in Second Life’ by the New World Notes blog.----------------------------------------Location: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Princeton%20South/216/209/66----------------------------------------Artist Information Douglas Story creates his extreme macro photography with a 5 megapixel digital camera in and around Los Angeles. Douglas has displayed his work in group shows in Los Angeles, and in Second Life at the Aho Museum, the Angel Dorei Gallery and the Artisan Gallery.A Second Life resident since 2005, Desdemona Enfield, in her more serious moments, studies the Zen of Scripting and occasionally dabbles in building. She's highly verbal and will scroll everyone off the screen when given an opportunity. In real life, the daydream that comes closest to her vocation would include a checkered history in computer graphics, medical imaging, data protocols, and embedded systems, plus a tad of physics and mathematics.Dizzy Banjo is a composer exploring new methods of soundtracking virtual environments. He is experienced in providing music for more traditional media outlets, such as radio, trailers, advertising and video games ( for clients such as Czech National Radio, Boosey &Hawkes, Revlon, and Sony Playstation.) However more recently he is concentrating on developing the possibilities of non linear composition and multiple user interactive music. He is currently working on a number of projects in this field including soundtracks for the in-world presence of the country of Mexico, a book on Second Life published by Intersection Unlimited and a major virtual business event.Poid Mahovlich says, “I build creatively using smoke and mirrors. I am a geek dreamer; driven by ethereal fuel some days, nerd tech and biscuits on others. I am a Real Life professional conceptual Artist: a self-proclaimed Wizard who has a severe allergy to Hawaiian shirts.”-----end Enjoy this amazing build by four of Second Life's best!! Dyna Fleur from Kitty Lalonde on Vimeo.

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While Best of Second Life is on Vacation, consider contributing to this project:Lordfly Digeridoo needs our help--he's compiling 1000 avatar pictures with the goal of creating fun ways to display 1000 avatar pictures!!:) His blog details the requirements for the pictures. He got his inspiration from the youtube short "Noah takes a picture of himself every day for six years" Neat stuff!! Good luck Lordfly!

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A PRESENT FOR YOU UNDER THE TREE!Come get your Holiday Package from Best of Second Life! Best of Second Life will be on Holiday until 2008. Happy Holidays!Don't forget to use the HQ as your hang out and enjoy the Aquarium,gardens, dance floor, coffee shop and TV room. Come be with fellow Best of Second Life and Things to Do group members and open your gifts!!

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Holiday Greetings to the best group in SL! I send you holiday wishes from the US to your home in SL or RL! I am looking forward to the best year in 2008. Look for many changes after the new year. I will keep you updated along the way.Thank you for your wonderful suggestions for making this group what it is today! Tonight's LM is a walk through Winterland(tp there). There is a Santa Sleigh Ride! Also some well know charity causes. But just good holiday fun all around! Think "It's a Wonderful Life!" Merry!

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Chakryn was built by the hobbit Andrek Lowell, an "brilliant forest builder" as quoted by Bettina Tizzy, owner of Chakryn, and blogger extraordinare of " Not Possible IRL" . The land,1/4 of a sim, includes a real forest, a tree house, a secret grotto,the Marat by AM Radio, and the Theory of Everything (scientists take note!) Enjoy wandering tonight.---pasted from notecard about Theory of Everything----An Exceptionally Simple Theory of Everything - that’s what scientist and surfer dude A. Garret Lisi calls his TOE (Theory of Everything). Idon’t claim to understand it, but it certainly makes a pretty picture.So I imported it into Second Life and put it onto a giant prim. And it makes a pretty prim too.The big breakthroughs in science tend to be simple and beautiful too -think Albert Einstein’s E=MC Squared, so lets hope this one turns out to be true. The kicker with this one is that it predicts a whole bunch of new elementary particles as well as all the ones we already know about, which means that the theory is verifiable, unlike the current favorite TOE, string theory, which is pretty much unprovable.Interview with Lisi here....... http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/science/article2889309.eceThe theory in pdf format, for those who can understand these things…. http://xxx.lanl.gov/pdf/0711.0770Original picture by jared, & borrowed from his Flickr stream…. http://www.flickr.com/photos/generated/2056931176/though SL reduced the image quality which is a shame.

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Well, I have finally entered the most amazing client!! Today's new update fixes some Vista, ATI and Apple issues (read more here) This sim is AMAZING to view and play with wind light features! Check it out! See the rest of the pictures!----pasted from the notecard----Welcome to De Lodi - the enchanted land of Industrial Beauty and Calmness.We made our best to make this island an ideal spot to experience WindLight -the newest viewer by Linden Lab.In case you find this creation pleasing to your eyes and soul, do not hesitate to IM aHead's CEO - Cezary Fish inlife to get more info about our services. http://aheadcorporation.blogspot.com

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Textures R'Us--I love this place--most textures you'll find in one spot in SL. I have to get to my work Christmas Party, so I am sending you here for all your texture needs. :) Happy shopping. http://slurl.com/secondlife/English%20Rose/128/158/31 More pictures.

Zero Point is all things you can find only in SL! Sabine Stonebender,artist/creator, has given us a place to explore, shop, be in awe, &experience art! It's a gallery, but it's light and texture. It's scuplture, but it's movement and color! Make sure you touch things,because they might interact! DO NOT miss the Vomit Comet roller coaster.Most things are up in the sky, so be sure you find the teleporters. More info: sabine stonebender.blogspot.com More Pictures

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Icarus:the home of Deeeep Witte and TerryAnn Antonelli. There's a wonderful guided tour though this land, that offers a rl version or a land tour.See heaven, hell, a holodeck, and much, much more! I will have to landmark this one for future visits as I've not enough time to see it all! Read another blog post about Icarus by clicking here. More pictures here!

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Abbotts has been an SL staple since February 2004, founded and created by Cubey Terra and Apotheus Silverman. Their goal in establishing this aeronautical sim was to "create a fun environment where anyone can drop by to enjoy flight and aerosports." Anything to do with flight you will find here, skydiving, flights down a runway, or even buying your own aircraft! Off into blue yonder you'll go! More pictures here!

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The blog meme “tag you’re it” game has been delivered to my inbox via my blog comment section. Conversation won’t lull when you have virtual keggers or cocktail parties (fill in the blank with which ever one you would attend in rl) in the form of this “tag” game! Here’s yet another way to dig into someone’s real life, without too much prying or revealing yourself (unless you so choose). I’ve been “tagged” by Caleb Booker/Onder Skall.I really had to sit down and think about what it is that I would talk about to a bunch of strangers. Then it hit me….wait let me get the rules posted before I get carried away!First the rules:1) Post these rules before you give your facts2) List 8 random facts about yourself3) At the end of your post, choose (tag) 8 people and list their names,linking to them4) Leave a comment on their blog, letting them know they've been tagged…so yeah, it hit me…I talk all the flipping time in RL, so this shouldn’t be a problem. My profession is based around talking, and in my spare time all I do is talk! Geez….someone shut her up!!Ok. So Factoid 1-8 here they go: 1. I was born a poor black child. I remember the days, sittin' on the porch with my family, singin' and dancin' down in Mississippi.Wait…That’s not me!Seriously…here we go!1. I find humor in most situations, and this can be a blessing and a curse. Of course, I do know when it’s time to be serious. I’ve actually been told I’m too serious, and to lighten up, but this is by people who only claim to know me. My better friends (rl & sl) know that I find time to be a complete goof then get back into “work/serious” mode and move on…I wasn’t the class clown, but I always had a way of lightening up a tense situation. Idols in humor are: Jim Gaffigan (hot pockets!) Keith Alberstadt and Mike Birbiglia 2. If teaching hadn’t called me so early, I would have gone to NYC to audition for Saturday Night Live or some other type of improvisational troupe—Second City, Whole World Theatre, etc.3. I also thought if that didn’t pan out I’d go to Philadelphia and be a Muppet on Sesame Street.4. Children like me—I don’t know why…stranger children come up and just start talking to me. I’m a STRANGER for God’s sake!5. I want to do voice over work one day.6. I LOVE to sing…last time I sang in public was in Las Vegas at some karaoke bar on the strip—I think it was Imperial Palace—I sang George Benson’s “On Broadway” and even did the scatting part w/o cracking up! I also sang Alison Krause’s “ Oh Atlanta”.7. Music moves me in ways that I’m not even able to describe here, not because I’m not allowed to, but because I don’t have the intense vocabulary for what I wish to say. Weird fact about this fact —and I actually noticed this today—I get in a mode where I’ll listen to one artist for a while that I end up associating a season or time of year with that artist. For instance, I was listening to “ In a Daydream” by The Freddy Jones Band on the way to work this morning, and I instantly had visions in my head of fall due to this fact. I can be drawn back to a certain place visually when hearing a song or even part of a song…not to date myself(or give away my young young age), but today when SL was down, I decided to get a mani/pedi at my neighborhood nail salon, and Seasons in the Sun was playing on the muzak…OMG it brought me back to the exact location I heard that song when I was so young. I even remember that the 8-Track was red!8. Life is good. I’m entering a new era of my life beginning on December 21, 2007. More on that later!So now that the verbal (well written) diarrhea is finished you can resume your normal daily schedule. I know for most of you this will just be a click back into the grid we know as SL. Some people have their crackberries …I have SL . Well, most of my friends with blogs ( Dizzy, Eshi) have been tagged, and I needn’t tag them again, so I will tag some people I don’t know, but people I follow: Aleister Kronos & Eladrienne Laval. Then I went to some more of my favorites blogs, and they’ve all been tagged. I’m always a little behind the curve! Did you know that Word doesn’t know the word “Blog”? Nor do they know “Keggers”!!

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Greenies has a space-age holiday tree you can skate or hover board down! Another amazing use of super huge prims! See it before it's gone. http://slurl.com/secondlife/Mars%20Areas01%20Rezzable/240/238/75

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WINTER WONDERLAND on TANGLEWOOD A beautiful sim featuring winter landscapes and activities. Here’s the information about their grand opening as seen in their note card. I loved the ice-skating, but I think the snow ball fighting was by far my favorite...Bring your sweetie along, and dance the night away inside the indescribable crystal palace.***Posted from notecard***Nestled under a blanket of sparkling white, experience the magic that is Tanglewood this December and January for our season of WINTER fun.Join us for the formal unveiling of our Winter Palace on December 16 at1pm as we invite our friends to a black-tie Grand Ball. Guests are invited to sail through the snow-capped sim from Heron Island Performance Space and moor their boats at the palace pier or just enjoy a leisurely stroll across the palace grounds. There will be music and dancing throughout the afternoon.Throughout December and January the Palace offers many rooms to explore and many familiar games to pass the time. Outside, you can wander the snow-covered landscape or enjoy a moment of quiet reflection in our magnificent cathedral, St Christopher's. You can skate over our frozen lake (no skates necessary), sled down the the mountain, or just throw the occasional snowball at passing guests.To skate, go down to the frozen lake in front of the Palace and hit one of the poseballs on the small jettys on the ice. To sled find your way to the top of the mountain and hit the box beside the North Pole sign,rez the sled within 5m of the sign and jump aboard. More pictures of Tanglewood's Winter (and oh my in Wind Light soooo beautiful!) Wonderland http://slurl.com/secondlife/Tanglewood/54/100/22

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You are cordially invited to attend The Best of Second Life Logo announcement. Saturday, December 8, 2007. 1 PM PST at The Best of Second Life Headquarters. http://slurl.com/secondlife/Tintafel/75/138/351Thewinner will be announced, and the new design will be revealed! Join us in congratulating the winning designer!We appreciate all entries. It was a pleasure to see the creative minds of the individuals in the best group on SL! :)***Update 12-9-07*****SraLais Beck was announced as the winner of the design competition. We held a small ceremony to award her a check as well as reveal the design. See the great pictures taken by Araucano Janus, Best of Second Life official photographer. CONGRATULATIONS SraLais!!

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Another Rezzable Creation! Try to survive this toxic garden...beware of the ants!! This was such a fun sim, but I must tell you it is not for anyone with a pacemaker. I screamed so loudly that my friends with whom I was wandering were really not happy with me--possible hearing problems might ensue!!! I kept thinking about the song "FEED ME SEYMOUR" from _Little Shoppe of Horrors_. It's the type of excited scared that you get when you attend a really good scary movie...makes you want to jump into your boyfriend's arms and let him soothe your soul! I kept getting stuck in the same part of the sim, because I was on "post" to tp back any of my fr